When I was younger, a pack of crayons could keep me entertained and scrawling away for hours. My parents took notice and tried to fuel my creativity, providing me with more materials. As I got older, my interest shifted to markers, then paints, and eventually yarn and textiles. What started as a simple pastime has now evolved into years of chaos that occupies the little nooks and crannies of our house. Leaky alcohol markers that came with a Sesame Street coloring book, half-squeezed acrylic paint tubes, spools of yarn from each unfinished scarf. The list of items goes on and on.

This situation seemed harmless at first, but underneath it all, was a dangerous culprit: plastics. Plastics have made their way into every aspect of our lives from food packaging to sports. Somehow art, a hobby enjoyed by many, has become another environmentally harmful practice. Let me explain.

Acrylics are a class of plastics made through bulk polymerization, a process that produces toxic fumes as a byproduct. The acrylic is then incorporated into various products such as paints, fabrics, and resins. All of which are non-recyclable and take decades (or longer!) to biodegrade. Another problem is the accumulation of microplastics in aquatic organisms. Paint carried by runoff or through sewers may reach bodies of water just to be consumed by larval fish or plankton. The concentration of toxins accumulates up the food chain until it may even reach lethal levels in larger, predatory animals. That’s right, the paint you wash down your sink may in fact be a dolphin killer. 

However, there is hope: switching to digital mediums.

Since many platforms such as Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram put more emphasis on online art, switching over to digital art gives artists a greater capacity for growth. Inadvertently, replacing the limited-use brushes and pencils with the boundless resource of electronic inks can benefit both the artist and the environment. 

Since this is quite a drastic thing to ask of artists, one small improvement that can be made is conscious buying: avoiding products that contain acrylics or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Only buy enough supplies needed for one project and do not discard items, such as half filled paint containers, before you know you will not need it again. Alternatives to acrylic pigments include watercolor or gouache. For acrylic yarns, opt for natural fibers such as hemp, cotton, wool, or bamboo. In general, when buying art supplies, look for warning labels on the back of the package to be more aware of any negative toxins and choose brands that keep external packaging to a minimum.

After I learned more about the downfalls of modern art supplies, my perception of art has changed. While there are so many health and environmental concerns with paints, it’s also important to note that acrylics aren’t the only contributing factor to plastic pollution. Single-use water bottles, styrofoam packaging, and cheap toys are probably objects we’ve all owned and discarded sometime in our lives. It’s crucial that we all understand the impact we have as consumers. Just as refraining from littering is a responsibility, so is conscious spending.